Differential Effects of Self-Report Pubertal Timing and Age at Menarche on Taiwanese Female Adolescents’ Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes

Early pubertal timing is known to put women at greater risk for adverse physiological and psychological health outcomes. Of the factors that influence girls’ pubertal timing, stress experienced during childhood has been found to advance age at menarche (AAM). However, it is not known if stress experienced by mothers during or in the months before conception can be similarly associated with earlier pubertal timing. Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) is associated with metabolic changes, such as increased childhood adiposity and risk of obesity, that have been associated with earlier menarchal age. Using a prospective longitudinal design, the present study tested whether PNMS induced by a natural disaster is either directly associated with earlier AAM, or whether there is an indirect association mediated through increased girls’ body mass index (BMI) during childhood. A total of 31 girls, whose mothers were exposed to the Quebec’s January 1998 ice storm during pregnancy were followed from 6 months to 5 1/2 to 5.5 years of age. Mother’s stress was measured within 6 months of the storm. BMI was measured at 5.5 years, and AAM was assessed through teen’s self-report at 13.5 and 15.5 years of age. Results revealed that greater BMI at 5.5 years mediated the effect of PNMS on decreasing AAM [B=−0.059, 95% confidence intervals (−0.18, −0.0035)]. The present study is the first to demonstrate that maternal experience of stressful conditions during pregnancy reduces AAM in the offspring through its effects on childhood BMI. Future research should consider the impact of AAM on other measures of reproductive ability.

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Does puberty affect the development of behavior problems as a mediator, moderator, or unique predictor?

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s095457941900141x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (4) ◽

pp. 1473-1485 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Adriene M. Beltz ◽

Robin P. Corley ◽

Sally J. Wadsworth ◽

Lisabeth F. DiLalla ◽

Sheri A. Berenbaum

Keyword(s):

Behavior Problems ◽

Externalizing Behavior ◽

Pubertal Timing ◽

Adolescent Behavior ◽

Self Report ◽

Age At Menarche ◽

Early Maturation ◽

Adolescent Behavior Problems ◽

Childhood Problems ◽

Unique Predictor

AbstractPubertal timing matters for psychological development. Early maturation in girls is linked to risk for depression and externalizing problems in adolescence and possibly adulthood, and early and late maturation in boys are linked to depression. It is unclear whether pubertal timing uniquely predicts problems; it might instead mediate the continuity of behavior problems from childhood to adolescence or create psychological risk specifically in youth with existing problems, thus moderating the link. We investigated these issues in 534 girls and 550 boys, measuring pubertal timing by a logistic model fit to annual self-report measures of development and, in girls, age at menarche. Prepuberty internalizing and externalizing behavior problems were reported by parents. Adolescent behavior problems were reported by parents and youth. As expected, behavior problems were moderately stable. Pubertal timing was not predicted by childhood problems, so it did not mediate the continuity of behavior problems from childhood to adolescence. Pubertal timing did not moderate links between early and later problems for girls. For boys, early maturation accentuated the link between childhood problems and adolescent substance use. Overall, the replicated links between puberty and behavior problems appear to reflect the unique effects of puberty and child behavior problems on the development of adolescent behavior problems.

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Substance Abuse Severity in Female Adolescents: Association Between Age at Menarche and Chronological Age

American Journal on Addictions ◽

10.3109/10550499209004023 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 217-221 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ada C. Mezzich ◽

Ralph E. Tarter ◽

Ya-Chen Hsieh ◽

Amy Fuhrman

Keyword(s):

Substance Abuse ◽

Female Adolescents ◽

Chronological Age ◽

Age At Menarche ◽

Abuse Severity

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Prepubertal urinary estrogen excretion and its relationship with pubertal timing

AJP Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1152/ajpendo.00374.2010 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 299 (6) ◽

pp. E990-E997 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Lijie Shi ◽

Thomas Remer ◽

Anette E. Buyken ◽

Michaela F. Hartmann ◽

Philipp Hoffmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pubertal Timing ◽

Height Velocity ◽

Breast Development ◽

Growth Spurt ◽

Age At Menarche ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Pubertal Growth Spurt ◽

Peak Height Velocity ◽

Pubertal Growth ◽

Estrogen Production

Whether prepubertal estrogen production impacts on the timing of puberty is not clear. We aimed to investigate prepubertal 24-h estrogen excretion levels and their association with early and late pubertal markers. Daily urinary excretion rates of estrogens of 132 healthy children, who provided 24-h urine samples 1 and 2 yr before the start of the pubertal growth spurt [age at takeoff (ATO)], were quantified by stable isotope dilution/GC-MS. E-sum3 (estrone + estradiol + estriol) was used as a marker for potentially bioactive estrogen metabolites and E-sum5 (E-sum3 + 16-epiestriol + 16-ketoestradiol) for total estrogen production. Pubertal outcomes were ATO, age at peak height velocity (APHV), duration of pubertal growth acceleration (APHV-ATO), age at Tanner stage 2 for pubic hair (PH2), genital (G2, boys) and breast (B2, girls) development, and age at menarche. Prepubertal urinary estrogen excretions (E-sum3 and E-sum5) were not associated with ATO, APHV, and age at PH2 but with duration of pubertal growth acceleration ( P < 0.01) in both sexes. Girls with higher E-sum3 reached B2 0.9 yr ( P = 0.04) and menarche 0.3 yr earlier ( P = 0.04) than girls with lower E-sum3. E-sum3 was not associated with age at G2 in boys ( P = 0.6). For most pubertal variables, the associations with E-sum3 were stronger than with E-sum5. In conclusion, prepubertal estrogens may not be critical for the onset of the pubertal growth spurt but are correlated with its duration in both boys and girls. Prepubertal estrogen levels may already predict the timing of girls' menstruation and breast development but do not appear to affect sexual maturation in boys.

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Differential Effects of Permanent and Rotating Shifts on Self-Report Sleep Length: A Meta-Analytic Review

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/23.2.1b ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 143

Author(s):

June J. Pilcher ◽

Barbara J. Lambert ◽

Allen I. Huffcutt

Keyword(s):

Self Report ◽

Differential Effects ◽

Analytic Review ◽

Sleep Length

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The Contribution of Level of Cognitive Complexity and Pubertal Timing to Behavioral Risk in Young Adolescents

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.95.4.528 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 95 (4) ◽

pp. 528-533

Author(s):

Donald P. Orr ◽

Gary M. Ingersoll

Keyword(s):

Risk Behaviors ◽

Cognitive Complexity ◽

Pubertal Timing ◽

Health Risk Behaviors ◽

Self Report ◽

Chronological Age ◽

Behavioral Risk ◽

Young Adolescents ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional

Purpose. To determine the unique contributions of cognitive complexity and pubertal timing to participation in behavioral risk (substance use, sexual activity, school and legal problems) among young adolescents. Design. Cross-sectional with cohort replication. Methods. Two cohorts of middle school students in grades eight and nine in a midwestern school district completed a self-report questionnaire in 1987 and 1989. Measures of behavioral and emotional risk, cognitive complexity and pubertal timing relative to peers were included. Results. Complete data were available for 817 and 796 students in each cohort year. Gender, race, level of cognitive complexity and pubertal timing each contributed significantly to the variance in behavioral risk independent of chronological age (P < .0001). Boys, whites, those at lower levels of cognitive complexity and those who began pubertal maturation earlier than peers, were at significantly greater risk. Adolescents who demonstrated higher levels of cognitive complexity and those who began puberty later compared to peers participated in a smaller array of risk behaviors, independent of chronological age. Implications. Pediatricians should consider adolescents at lower levels of cognitive complexity (concrete thinking) and those who begin puberty earlier at greater risk for participation in health risk behaviors. Preventive health counseling tailored to the needs of this group may be most beneficial.

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Supplemental Material for Physical and Social Anhedonia in Female Adolescents: A Factor Analysis of Self-Report Measures

Emotion ◽

10.1037/emo0000843.supp ◽

2021 ◽

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Self Report ◽

Female Adolescents ◽

Social Anhedonia

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Pubertal timing and breast cancer risk in the Sister Study cohort

Breast Cancer Research ◽

10.1186/s13058-020-01326-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mandy Goldberg ◽

Aimee A. D’Aloisio ◽

Katie M. O’Brien ◽

Shanshan Zhao ◽

Dale P. Sandler

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Family History ◽

Breast Cancer Risk ◽

Cancer Risk ◽

Birth Cohort ◽

Pubertal Timing ◽

Age At Menarche ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Pubertal Tempo

Abstract Background Earlier age at menarche is an established risk factor for breast cancer. While age at menarche has been fairly stable over the past half-century, age at breast development (thelarche) has continued to decrease. Recently, earlier age at thelarche and a longer time between thelarche and menarche (pubertal tempo) were shown to be associated with increased breast cancer risk. Our objective was to examine how breast cancer risk was associated with pubertal timing and tempo in a prospective US cohort. Methods Women ages 35–74 years without a history of breast cancer, but who had a sister previously diagnosed with breast cancer, were enrolled in the Sister Study from 2003 to 2009 (N = 50,884). At enrollment, participants reported their ages at thelarche and menarche. Pubertal tempo was age at menarche minus age at thelarche. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each pubertal milestone and risk of breast cancer (invasive or ductal carcinoma in situ) using Cox proportional hazards regression. We examined whether associations between age at thelarche and breast cancer risk were modified by birth cohort, race/ethnicity, weight at age 10, and extent of breast cancer family history, as characterized by a Bayesian score based on first-degree family structure. Results During follow-up (mean = 9.3 years), 3295 eligible women were diagnosed with breast cancer. Early ages at thelarche (HR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.03–1.46 for < 10 vs. 12–13 years) and menarche (HR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.01–1.20 for < 12 vs. 12–13 years) were positively associated with breast cancer risk. Pubertal tempo was not associated with breast cancer risk (HR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.97–1.02 per 1-year longer tempo). When considering early thelarche (< 10 years) and early menarche (< 12 years) jointly, women with both had a 30% greater risk of breast cancer compared with women with neither risk factor (95% CI 1.07–1.57). The association between age at thelarche and breast cancer risk did not significantly vary by birth cohort, race/ethnicity, childhood weight, or Bayesian family history score. Conclusions Earlier ages at thelarche and menarche may enhance susceptibility to breast carcinogenesis. Age at thelarche is an important risk factor to consider given secular trends towards earlier development.

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Feeling correct is feeling prejudiced: The differential effects of attitude correctness and attitude clarity on evaluations of outgroups

Group Processes & Intergroup Relations ◽

10.1177/1368430220972756 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 136843022097275

Author(s):

Zachary C. Roth ◽

Kimberly Rios

Keyword(s):

Conflict Resolution ◽

Behavioral Outcomes ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Group Boundaries ◽

Differential Effects ◽

Religious Attitude ◽

Attitude Certainty ◽

Relationship Study

Global attitude certainty consists of two subconstructs: attitude clarity—certainty that one is aware of one’s true attitudes—and attitude correctness, certainty that one’s attitudes are morally correct and valid. Attitude correctness is more often associated with group-related psychological and behavioral outcomes than attitude clarity. As such, we expected that attitude correctness, but not attitude clarity, would be associated with more negative attitudes toward outgroups when group boundaries are defined by attitudes. Across four studies, greater attitude correctness related to more negative attitudes toward attitudinal outgroups regardless of context (e.g., political, religious); attitude clarity’s relationship to prejudice was inconsistent (Studies 1a and 2: positive or no relationship; Study 3: negative; Studies 1b and 4: no relationship). In Studies 2 and 3, mediational analyses showed that greater attitude correctness was associated with stronger beliefs that group boundaries are sharp and distinct (i.e., discreteness beliefs), which in turn was associated with greater prejudice. Finally, Study 4 demonstrated that the attitude correctness–prejudice link was associated with greater intention to engage in competitive behaviors in a conflict resolution scenario with an outgroup member.

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